About Three Squirrels

WARNING! This blog is strictly off the top of my head with minimal research. Do not under any circumstances take what’s written as authoritative, and especially don’t rely on me for legal advice.

This blog began life as a record of our move from North Vancouver, British Columbia to France. Then known as Échapper de North Vancouver, it chronicled our journey around France, eventually settling in the Normandy town of Alençon.

After two years though, we decided that it was time to return to Canada. This time we elected to settle on the opposite end of the country, in Liverpool, Nova Scotia. The skies and the weather and the Atlantic Ocean were wonderful, and we found a home that could truly be loved and endlessly improved. And we were near grand-children.

All of this made me decide that the Échapper de North Vancouver name was no longer relevant. I decided to revive a Kentucky era blog title: Three Squirrels in a Pressure Cooker. That title is part of a claim made by a co-worker in Whitesburg, Kentucky that "Three squirrels in a pressure cooker makes a nice supper."

Now, after year back in Vancouver, attending UBC, we're about to move to Cambridge University in the UK. You can expect this blog to describe the parallels that I find between Cambridge, Alençon, Liverpool, or even Whitesburg. Ultimately people are people, and the differences pale beside the similarities.

Our contact info for now:

CANADA: (Until this summer)
1591 W. 16th Avenue #303
Vancouver BC
V6J 2L7

Telephone:
FRANCE: (33) 07 63 34 12 31
CANADA: (902) 600-9750

Previous "About" Page:

After the first election of Donald Trump, we considered our options for the next phase of our lives. We're at what is nominally considered retirement age, and have pretty much concluded that North Vancouver is not where we want to be. Or North America for that matter. After a lot of searching we decided on Normandy.

That decision reflected a lot of thought and research. It began with a very short trip to Britain, and London in particular, which convinced me that there was much more to life than what was on offer in Canada.

We considered Montreal, and towns on Vancouver Island, and even narrowboats in England. Then barges when we realized that a home that was only six feet wide wasn't really enough. Then small towns in England and Wales, then Shetland, then Provence, then finally Normandy.

Aside from the obvious appeal of French culture, and the social supports offered by a country that is still highly unionized, the single biggest factor is property prices. Even a mediocre townhouse in North Vancouver can run you a million dollars, while a €167,000 will buy you this in Normandy.

Normandy - Manche Center - 1 hour from the ferry boat - 5 kms from the local amenities and 15 mins from the nearest town Coutances or Saint Lo - 25 kms from the seaStone 5-bedroom house with the possibility to convert the contiguous part. - on the ground floor: kitchen with fireplace, sitting-room, shower-room, bedroom, toilets. - on the second floor: 2 bedrooms, large bathroom, toilets. Attics. Outbuildings, yard, garden.

A note on translation : anything en Francais is the result of DeepL + French classes thirty years ago. Wish me luck. Why subscribe?